Mills for rolling metal



March 21, 1967 A. 1. WILSON 3,3G93G9 MILLS FOR ROLLING METAL Filed Jan. 28, 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet l 5a 4 r w f ill} 35 7 MNA I N VENTOR.

dlexanci'er J. Wilson HZ Zorneys March 21, 1967 A. l. WILSON MILLS FOR ROLLING METAL Filed Jan. 28, 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 )V if L #41 Z35 Z 5 7 Z? fl 2 a INVEN TOR. ale/Lander I. Wilson BY M, QW

March 21, 1967 A. 1. WILSON 3,399,g@9

MILLS FOR ROLLING METAL Filed Jan. 28, 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOH. f/fi /fl CZZ7C 12ZCZT 1. Wilson MBW aw HZZorneys United States Patent 3,309,909 MILLS FOR ROLLING lvIETAL Alexander Ian Wilson, 14 Whitely Lane, Shefiield, England Filed Jan. 28, 1964, Ser. No. 340,738 Claims priority, application Great Britain, Feb. 6, 1963, 4,842/ 63 Claims. c1. 72-237 The invention relates to mills for rolling metal.

The conventional rolling mill consists of housings in which the rolls are mounted in bearings supported by roll chocks, and it is well known that during a rolling operation the gap between the rolls and consequently the thickness of a rolled product varies according to the rolling load. This variation is known as the spring, and is of course most undesirable.

Tests have shown that the spring is the product of two components, the elastic deformation of the stressed parts of the mill and the so-called mus which is due to the compression of mating interfaces between the stressed parts. To reduce the spring to a minimum, therefore, it is necessary to combat both elastic deformation and mush, the former by increasing to a maximum the rigidity of individual stressed parts and reducing to a minimum the number of such parts (thus reducing to a minimum the length of the so-called stress cycle), and the latter by reducing to a minimum the number of mating interfaces between the stressed parts. The elastic deformation can further be reduced by reducing the bending stresses in particular to a minimum.

It is, therefore, an object of the invention to provide a rolling mill having the minimum spring without increasing the bulk of the members. It is, in fact, a further object of the invention to actually reduce the overall weight of the housing.

It is another object of the invention to provide a rolling mill the rolls of which can be adjusted towards or away from each other during the operation of the mill in such a manner that reproducible machine tool type settings and tolerances can be achieved.

According to the invention, therefore, a mill for rolling metal has at least one pair of co-operating rolls carried between respective roll chocks, each roll chock for one roll being pivotally connected to the adjacent roll chock for the other roll about a single axis extending transversely of the rolls. Preferably, means are provided for adjusting the relative positions of the roll chocks towards or away from each other whilst retaining their pivotal relationship. Preferably, also, the means provided for adjusting the relative positions of the roll chocks include eccentrics, and the eccentrics are preferably associated with pins which pivotally connect the chocks.

Each roll chock for one roll is preferably connected to the neighbouring roll chock for the other roll by means of a pair of co-axial pins which extend outwardly from opposite sides of one roll chock and through lugs formed on the other roll chock. Means are preferably rovided whereby the eccentrics can be rotated to adjust the relative positions of the rolls towards or away from each other without at the same time altering their positions in a direction parallel to the rolls, and said means preferably comprise slider blocks which are free to float in :a direction parallel to the rolls. The eccentrics for adjusting the relative positions of the rolls towards or away from each other are preferably capable of being rotated by levers, and each pair of levers, connected respectively to pairs of eccentrics for adjusting the relative positions of adjacent roll chocks, are preferably linked together for simultaneous movement. The levers for rotating the eccentrics are preferably each provided with screw and nut mechanisms, the screws of which are driven ice by respective bevel gears, and the bevel gears for driving the screws of any pair of levers are preferably driven from a common shaft.

The character of the invention, however, may be best understood by reference to certain of its structural forms as illustrated by the accompanying drawings, of which:

FIG. 1 is a part-sectional front elevation of a twohigh mill embodying the invention,

FIG. 2 is a part-sectional end elevation thereof looking from the left of FIG. 1, and

FIG. 3 is a scrap view in the direction of arrow 3 in FIG. 2,

FIG. 4 is a sectional scrap view of an alternative construction and FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic end view thereof,

FIG. 6 is a sectional scrap view of a further alternative construction and FIG. 7 is a diagrammatic end view thereof,

FIG. 8 is a diagrammatic front elevation of a mill embodying the invention,

FIG. 9 is a diagrammatic end elevation thereof, and

FIG. 10 is a diagrammatic end elevation of a fourhigh mill embodying the invention.

Referring now to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 of the drawings, a two-high mill has rolls 10 and 12 which are carried between respective horizontally opposed roll chocks 14, 16 and 18, 20.

The roll chock 14 is pivotally connected to the adjacent roll chock 18 about the axis 22 which extends transversely of the rolls. The roll chock '16 is similarly connected to the adjacent roll chock 20 about the axis 24 which also extends transversely of the rolls. Since the manner in which the adjacent pair of roll chocks 14, 18 are connected is identical to the manner in which the adjacent pair 16, 20 are connected, the connection of the chocks 14, 18 only will be described in detail with particular reference to FIG. 2.

As can be seen in FIG. 2, the roll chock 14 is provided with a pair of lugs 26 and 28 so as to provide respective vertically extending slots 30 and 32. The roll chock 18 on the other hand is provided with a pair of vertically extending lugs 34 and 36 which are accommodated in said slots.

The pivotal connection of the chocks about the axis 22 is effected by means of a pair of pivot pins 38 which respectively extend through adjacent lugs of the chocks and into the body of the chock 14. The pins 38 are provided with co-axial portions 40, 42 and 44 which are accommodated in respective blind bores 46 formed in the body of the chock 14, respective bores 48 in the lugs 26 and bores 50 formed in respective blocks 52. The pins 38 are also provided with eccentric portions 54 which are accommodated in respective bores 56 formed in slider blocks 58, the latter being carried in respective apertures 60 formed in the lugs 34 and 36 of the chock 18.

As can be seen in FIG. 3, blocks 52, in the bores of which the portions 44 of the pins are accommodated, are carried in apertures 62 formed in respective upstanding side frame members 64 and 66 and together with similar blocks associated with the chocks 16 and 20 support the entire weight of the rolls and roll chocks. A small amount of clearance is provided between the sides of said blocks and the sides of said apertures to allow for endwise adjustments of the rolls, said adjustments being effected by means not shown, and the blocks are retained in the apertures by means of clamping plates 53 held down by bolts 55.

The pins 38 are connected to respective levers 68 by means of which they may be rotated, and the free ends of said levers are forked and pivotally connected to respective trunnioned nuts 70 through which extend respective screws 72. The latter are located by respective bearing housings 74 which are disposed at the opposite ends of a drive shaft 76 about the axis of which they are free to swivel. The means employed for rotating the drive shaft 76 are not illustrated, but the drive from said shaft to the screws 72 is transmitted through respective pairs of bevel gears 78 contained within the housings 74 so that the screws rotate in unison and cause the simultaneous rotation of the co-axial pins 38.

In operation, when it is desired to adjust the relative positions of the chocks 14 and 18 towards or away from each other, the pins 38 are rotated through a determined angle by the means just described. Due to the portions 40, 42 and 44 of said pins being co-axial, such rotation does not affect the position of the chock 14. The matched eccentricity of the portions 54, however, causes the chock 18 to be adjustably raised or lowered, depending on the sense of rotation of the pins, and during their rotation the component of movement of the portions 54 in a direction parallel to the rolls is taken care of by sliding movements of the slider blocks 58 relative to the lugs 34. The maximum amount of adjustment available, of course, is twice the eccentric throw of the portions 54 of the pins.

The rolls of a mill embodying the invention do not need to be mounted in self-aligning bearings since flexing of the rolls during a rolling operation merely tilts the roll chocks about the axes of the pins connecting adjacent chocks. The roll necks are thus able to be made more robust since space considerations are not such a limiting factor as when self-aligning bearings have to be accommodated. The ability of the roll chocks to pivot about axes extending transversely of the rolls also enables the opposite ends of the rolls to be adjusted independently and to be so arranged that there is a gap therebetween of non-uniform width from one end of the rolls to the other.

In the alternative construction shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, a pair of adjacent roll chocks 80 and 82 are pivotally connected together by a pair of co-axial pins 84 which extend through adjacent lugs 86 and 88 and into the body of the chock 80.

The pins 84 are each provided with a pair of co-axial portions 90 and 92 and with a portion 94, the axis of which is parallel to, but spaced from, the axis of the portions 90 and 92 by a distance X. End portions 98 of the pins 84 have an axis which lies midway between the two axes just referred to.

The co-axial portions 90 and 92 of the pins 84 are accommodated in bores 100 and 102 formed in respective slider blocks 104 and 106, and said slide-r blocks are carried in respective apertures 108 and 110 formed in the body and the lug 86 of the chock 80. The portions 94 on the other hand are accommodated in respective slider blocks 96 which are carried in respective apertures 112 formed in the lugs 88 of the chock 82, and the portions 98 by means of which the chocks are suspended between the side frame members 64 are accommodated in the bores 50 of the blocks 52 as in the previously described arrangement. The pins are connected to respective levers 68 as before.

When it is desired to adjust the relative positions of the chocks towards or away from each other, the pins 84 are rotated by means of the levers 68 as in the preferred embodiment. Due to the opposed eccentricity of the portions 90 and 92 relative to the portions 94 about the axis of rotation of the pins, however, the chocks in this case both move by the same amount but in opposite direction to maintain a constant pass centre line. During their rotation the components of movement in a direction parallel to the rolls, of the portions 90, 92 and 94, are taken care of by sliding movements of the respective slider blocks 104, 106 and 96. The maximum amount of roll adjustment available in this case is twice the distance X.

In a further alternative construction shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the chocks 14 and 18 are pivotally connected together by pins 84 identical to those illustrated in FIGS.

4 and 5. In this case, however, the co-axial portions and 92 of said pins are accommodated in the bores 46 and 48 formed in the chock 14, and the portion 94 is accommodated in the bore 56 of the slider block 58 carried in the aperture 60 formed in the lug 34 of the chock 18. The end portions 98 of the pins are carried in bores 114 which are formed in respective slider blocks 116 carried in apertures 118 in the side frame members 64.

Rotation of the pins in this latter case results in the roll chocks being adjusted in position, towards or away from each other, in a manner which again maintains a constant pass centre line. During adjustment, however, the pins rotate about the axis of the portions 90 and 9 2, and the components of movement, in a direction parallel to the rolls, of the portions 94 and 98, are taken care of by sliding movements of the respective sliderblocks 5 8 and 116. The maximum amount of roll adjustment is again twice the distance X. In this latter case, of course, since the side frame members have been modified to allow the slider blocks 116 to move to and fro in re-' sponse to adjustments of the roll chocks, alternative means, not shown, are provided for maintaining and for varying endwise adjustment of the rolls 4,

Referring now to FIGS. 8 and 9, there is shown dia grammatically an arrangement whereby the rolls of a mill embodying the invention can very conveniently be adjusted, the opposite ends of the rolls being adjusted either individually or together as required. Oppositely disposed pairs of roll chocks, not shown, are capable of being actjustably positioned by rotational movements of the pair's of levers 120 and 122, about their axes 124, which effect the rotation of pairs of pins, not shown, pivotally con= necting respective pairs of chocks, each pin being pro'= vided with at least one eccentric portion. The free ends of the levers 120 and 122 are pivotally connected to the upper ends of respective links 126, the lower ends of which are pivotally connected to the free ends of respec: tive levers 128 and 130 carried at the opposite ends of shafts 132 and 134 which extend transversely of the rolls, substantially beneath the side frame members. The shafts 132 and 134 carry respective gear wheel segments 136 and 138 which are engaged by respective worms 140 and 142, and a shaft 144 on which the, worm 140 is car ried extends freely through a hollow shaft 146 on which the worm 142 is carried. The shafts 144 and 146 extend away from the immediate vicinity of the rolls, and are provided at their adjacent ends 148 and 150 with means whereby they can be turned by keys or other extraneous tools.

It will be seen that the roll chocks at either end of the rolls can be adjusted, towards or away from each other, independently of the roll chocks at the other end of the rolls, by a workman standing at one side of the mill: Alternatively, both pairs of chocks can be adjusted to gether by rotating the shafts 144 and 146 simultaneously.

Referring now to FIG. 10, the invention can equally Well be applied to a four-high mill by mounting a pair of back-up rolls 152 and 154 in oppositely disposed pairs of roll chocks 156 and 158, the chocks 156 having apertures 160 for the reception of respective pairs of subchocks 162 and 164 for a pair of operative rolls 166 and 168. Each pair of chocks 156 and 158 are pivotally connected about an axis extending transversely of the rolls and may be adjustable towards or away from each other by means of any of the devices illustrated in FIGS. 1-9.

The torque required to rotate the pins connecting adjacent roll chocks may be considerably reduced by treating said pins and the bores in which they are accommodated with anti-friction material, and may be reduced sufiiciently to allow adjustments to be made whilst a rolling operation is in progress. Alternatively, needle or roller bearings may be employed, and fiat needle or roller cages may be used to reduce the frictional resistance to movement at the pressure faces of the slider blocks.

A further method of facilitating adjustments is by forming reservoirs of hydraulic fluid between some or all of the surfaces at which relative sliding movement occurs during roll adjustment, and increasing the pressure of said fluid when it is desired to make such adjustments in order that a substantial amount of the pressure between said surfaces is sup orted by said fluid.

Thus it will be seen that there is provided means for mounting the rolls in a rolling mill employing a minimum number of stressed parts and thus having the minimum number of mating interfaces. *ioreover, the mating interfaces which do exist are all cylindrical surfaces which can be fitted tightly together to exhibit the smallest possible degree of mush. It Will also be seen that the stress cycle due to rolling loads is extremely short and in fact does not include the frame of the mill which consequently does not require to be built with the massive proportions found in conventional rolling mill frames.

Various modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the following claims. For example, the roll chocks could 'be stiffened by having removable or integral pieces lying in planes at right angles to the axes of the rolls and connecting their lugs on at least their sides remote from the rolls.

What I claim is:

1. A rolling mill, comprising a frame, an upper roll, a lower roll, an end mounting including a bearing mountend on each end of each roll, a roll chock for each end of each roll, the upper roll chocks having downwardly extending lugs, the lower roll chocks having upwardly extending lugs which overlap the downwardly extending lugs, means passing through said overlapping lugs for pivotally connecting together adjacent chocks for relative pivotal movement in a vertical plane parallel to the roll axes, adjustable eccentrics associated with the means for pivotally connecting together adjacent chocks, and means for suspending the roll chocks and rolls in the frame.

2. A rolling mill, comprising a frame, an upper roll, a lower roll, an end mounting including a bearing mounted on each end of each roll, a roll chock for each end of each roll, the upper roll chocks having downwardly extending lugs, the lower roll chocks having upwardly extending lugs which overlap the downwardly extending lugs, pivot pins passing through said overlapping lugs for pivotally connecting together adjacent chocks for relative pivotal movement in a vertical plane parallel to the roll axes, adjustable eccentrics formed integrally with said pins, and means for suspending the roll chocks and rolls in the frame.

3. A rolling mill, comprising a frame, an upper roll, a lower roll, an end mounting including a bearing mounted on each end of each roll, a roll chock for each end of each roll, vertically extending lugs formed on each roll chock, horizontally extending means for connecting together the lugs of adjacent chocks for relative pivotal movement of said chocks in a vertical plane parallel to the roll axes, adjustable eccentrics associated with the means for pivotally connecting together adjacent chocks, and means for suspending the roll chocks and rolls in the frame.

4. A rolling mill, comprising a frame, an upper roll, a lower roll, an end mounting including a bearing mounted on each end of each roll, a roll chock for each end of each roll, lugs formed on each roll chock, pivot pins for pivotally connecting together the lugs of adjacent chocks for relative pivotal movement of said chocks in a vertical plane parallel to the roll axes, adjustable eccentrics formed integrally with said pivot pins, and means for suspending the roll chocks and rolls in the frame.

5. A rolling mill, comprising a frame, an upper roll, a lower roll, an end mounting including a bearing mounted on each end of each roll, a roll chock for each end of each roll, lugs formed on each roll chock, apertures in the lugs of the chocks of at least one of the rolls, slider blocks carried in said apertures, pivot pins for pivotally connecting together the lugs of adjacent chocks for relative pivotal movement of said chocks in a vertical plane parallel to the roll axes, adjustable eccentrics formed integrally with said pivot pins and accommodated in bores in said slider blocks, and means for suspending the roll chocks and rolls in the frame.

6. A rolling mill, comprising a frame, an upper roll, a lower roll, an end mounting including a bearing mounted on each end of each roll, a roll chock for each end of each roll, lugs formed on each roll chock, apertures in the lugs of the chocks of at least one of the rolls, slider blocks carried in said apertures, pivot pins for pivotally connecting together the lugs of adjacent chocks for relative pivotal movement of said chocks in a vertical plane parallel to the roll axes, adjustable eccentrics formed integrally with said pivot pins and accommodated in bores in said slider blocks, and means for suspending the roll chocks and rolls in the frame, said means comprising portions of said pivot pins pivotally mounted in said frame.

7. A rolling mill, comprising a frame, an upper roll, a lower roll, an end mounting including a bearing mounted on each end of each roll, a roll chock for each end of each roll, lugs formed on each roll chock, apertures in the lugs of the chocks of at least one of the rolls, slider blocks carried in said apertures, pivot pins for pivotally connecting together the lugs of adjacent chocks for relative pivotal movement of said chocks in a vertical plane parallel to the roll axes, adjustable eccentrics formed integrally with said pivot pins and acommodated in bores in said slider blocks, and means for suspending the roll chocks and rolls in the frame, said means comprising slider blocks carried by said frame and portions of said pivot pins accommodated in bores in said slider blocks.

8. A rolling mill, comprising a frame, an upper roll, a lower roll, an end mounting including a bearing mounted on each end of each roll, a roll chock for each end of each roll, lugs formed on each roll chock, apertures in the lugs of the chocks of at least one of the rolls, slider blocks carried in said apertures, pivot pins for pivotally connecting together the lugs of adjacent chocks for relative pivotal movement of said chocks in a vertical plane parallel to the roll axes, adjustable eccentrics formed integrally with said pivot pins and accommodated in bores in said slider blocks, means for rotating said pivot pins whereby the rolls are moved towards or away from each other, and means for suspending the roll chocks and rolls in the frame, said means comprising portions of said pivot pins mounted in said frame and formed co-axially of the pivot pins whereby as said pivot pins are rotated one of the rolls is unmoved relative to the frame.

9. A rolling mill, comprising a frame, an upper roll, a lower roll, an end mounting including a bearing mounted on each end of each roll, a roll chock for each end of each roll, lugs formed on each roll chock, apertures in the lugs of the chocks of at least one of the rolls, slider blocks carried in said apertures, pivot pins for pivotally connecting together the lugs of adjacent chocks for relative pivotal movement of said chocks in a vertical plane parallel to the roll axes, adjustable eccentrics formed integrally with said pivot pins and accommodated in bores in said slider blocks, means for rotating said pivot pins whereby the rolls are moved towards or away from each other, and means for suspending the roll chocks and rolls in the frame, said means comprising slider blocks carried by said frame and portions of said pivot pins accommodated in bores in said slider blocks and formed eccentrically of the pivot pins whereby as said pivot pins are rotated one of the upper and lower rolls moves upwardly relative to the frame as the other moves downwardly relative to said frame so as to maintain a constant pass centre line between said rolls.

10. A rolling mill, comprising a frame, an upper roll, a lower roll, an end mounting including a bearing mounted on each end of each roll, a roll chock for each end of each roll, lugs formed on each roll chock, apertures in the lugs of all the chocks, slider blocks carried in said 7 8 apertures, pivot pins for pivotally connecting together the References Cited by the Examiner lugs of adjacent chocks for relative pivotal movement UNITED STATES PATENTS of said checks in a vertical plane parallel to the roll axes, 285 567 9 13 3 Carter 72 237 opposed eccentrics formed integrally With said pivot pins 5 2,123,754 7/1938 Talbot 72237 and accommodated in bores in the slider blocks of respec- 2,312,648 3/ 1943 I ones 72-237 tive roll chocks for the upper and lower rolls, and means FOREIGN PATENTS for suspending the roll chocks and rolls III the frame, sa1d 632,324 1/1962 Italymeans comprising portions of said pivot pins having their axes midway between the axes of the opposed eccen- 10 CHARLES LANHAM Pnmary Examl'wh tries and pivotally mounted in said frame. G. P. CROSBY, Assistant Examiner. 

3. A ROLLING MILL, COMPRISING A FRAME, AN UPPER ROLL, A LOWER ROLL, AN END MOUNTING INCLUDING A BEARING MOUNTED ON EACH END OF EACH ROLL, A ROLL CHOCK FOR EACH END OF EACH ROLL, VERTICALLY EXTENDING LUGS FORMED ON EACH ROLL CHOCK, HORIZONTALLY EXTENDING MEANS FOR CONNECTING TOGETHER THE LUGS OF ADJACENT CHOCKS FOR RELATIVE PIVOTAL MOVEMENT OF SAID CHOCKS IN A VERTICAL PLANE PARALLEL TO THE ROLL AXES, ADJUSTABLE ECCENTRICS ASSOCIATED WITH THE MEANS FOR PIVOTALLY CONNECTING TOGETHER ADJACENT CHOCKS, AND MEANS FOR SUSPENDING THE ROLL CHOCKS AND ROLLS IN THE FRAME. 